The Record

U.S. District Court

A prison guard has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, without parole, after pleading guilty to trying to smuggle drugs into a private prison in Leavenworth.

Billy Joe Holler Jr., 33, Leavenworth, was sentenced last week in U.S. District Court. He pled guilty in August to one count of attempting to possess with intent to distribute about one-half ounce of crack cocaine.

According to U.S. Attorney Jackie Williams, law enforcement officers learned that Holler, a guard working for Corrections Corporation of America, had agreed to deliver drugs to an inmate.

On March 29, 2000, an undercover officer, posing as a drug dealer, arranged to deliver one-half ounce of crack cocaine to Holler for delivery to the inmate and $900 to Holler as payment for the delivery. Two days later, the undercover officer and Holler met near Interstate 435 and Midland Drive in Shawnee, and Holler picked up the package containing the cash and a substance that Holler thought was crack cocaine.

Holler was arrested, and the package was recovered.

Holler admitted at his plea that he picked up what he thought was crack cocaine to smuggle to an inmate at CCA and that he previously had smuggled contraband into CCA for inmates.

Leavenworth County Sheriff

Leavenworth County sheriff's officers executed a search warrant Thursday afternoon at a home in Basehor. According to Major Dave Zoellner of the sheriff's office, the search occurred in the 15500 block of Hickory.

"We seized approximately half a pound of what is believed to be marijuana and related paraphernalia," Zoellner said.

He said four people were in the home when officers arrived. No one was arrested, he said, but it's possible an arrest or arrests will be made once results are received from lab tests.

The Basehor Police Department assisted in the bust, Zoellner said.

Fredrick Eskina, 30, Leavenworth, was traveling south on 211th Street, near Donahoo Road, about 10:15 a.m. Sunday and was unable to stop because of ice. Eskina's vehicle went into a ditch. He was not injured. The vehicle had more than $500 damage.

Joseph Anthony, 16, Kansas City, Kan., was traveling south on 178th Street, near Kansas Avenue, about noon Sunday when it went into a ditch. He was not injured. There was more than $500 damage to the vehicle.

A vehicle driven by Thomas Murray, 77, Leavenworth, was traveling west on U.S. Highway 24-40 about six miles east of Tonganoxie about 6:20 p.m. Thursday when it struck a deer. Murray's vehicle had more than $500 damage.

A vehicle driven by Scott Macek, 31, Overland Park, was traveling east on U.S. Highway 24-40, about five miles east of Tonganoxie, about 4 p.m. Friday when the wind caused Macek to lose control of the vehicle. It went into the median and overturned. Three passengers had minor injuries. The vehicle had more than $500 damage.

A natural gas line leak occurred about 11 a.m. Sunday in the 20000 block of 193rd Street. A resident in the area reported hearing natural gas leaking from a gas line. Officers arrive and evacuated people from two homes. A Williams Gas Company representative secured the gas line. Those evacuated were allowed back in their homes about 1 p.m.

Tonganoxie Police

Police are investigating two thefts: a ring worth $9,400 taken from the 500 block of Laughlin Street on Feb. 3 or 4; and two hubcaps worth about $45 taken Feb. 4 or 5 from a vehicle parked in the 100 block of North Delaware Street.